The invention relates to a heavy-duty transport vehicle for transporting ISO containers which, in an initial state, can be operated exclusively in a manual operating mode by an operator, is displaceable in a floor-bound and free manner by means of wheels having pneumatic rubber tyres, having a driver's cab which is provided with a manual control system for manual steering, manual movement control and manual braking.
Systems for handling, i.e., loading and unloading of vehicles, ships and trains and the storage of containers, in particular ISO containers, are known.
For the purposes of ISO container handling, known systems use on the one hand heavy-duty transport vehicles which are manually operated by an operator or a vehicle driver and on the other hand automatically operated heavy-duty transport vehicles which form a sub-group of automated guided vehicles (AGV) specifically designed to handle large loads.
In terms of the invention, a heavy-duty transport vehicle is understood to be a floor-bound vehicle which is freely displaceable by means of wheels having pneumatic rubber tyres and in this case can transport a payload of at least 15 t, preferably at least 20 t. ISO containers and swap containers are considered as loads for such heavy-duty transport vehicles. Loaded swap containers can generally weigh up to about 16 t. ISO containers in their own right weigh up to 45 t in the loaded state. The transportation of ISO containers is preferred. ISO containers are understood generally to be standardised large containers having standardised pick-up points or corners for load picking-up means. A heavy-duty transport vehicle which is empty when travelling or transports an empty ISO container or swap container should also come into this category if this vehicle can transport a payload of at least 15 t, preferably at least 20 t. It can also be the case that such heavy-duty transport vehicles operate in a mixed operation, i.e., transport not only ISO containers or swap containers but also other loads such as semi-trailers, swap trailers, trailers, heavy goods vehicles or motor tractors.
In the case of the manually operated heavy-duty transport vehicles, such as e.g. articulated lorries or similar conventional heavy goods vehicles, the vehicle is operated and controlled by a vehicle driver from a vehicle driver's position or a driver's cab in a typical manner. This is a mode of operation which is suitable in particular for smaller plants and for public highway traffic.
A corresponding conventional heavy goods vehicle which can be operated exclusively in a manual operating mode by an operator, is freely displaceable in a floor-bound manner by means of wheels and has a driver's cab which can be releasably attached to various points of the heavy goods vehicle is known e.g. from DE 1 153 641 B.
The so-called driverless heavy-duty transport vehicles in the sense of an AGV include a dedicated traction drive and are operated automatically, i.e., without a vehicle driver or operator and for this purpose are controlled automatically from a control centre or a central computer with the aid of predetermined, programmed procedures.
A driverless automated operation or automated mode in this sense does not include a remote-controlled operation, in which although there is no operator intervening directly at a vehicle driver's position or in a driver's cab, there is an operator intervening indirectly via a corresponding remote control and thus still in a manual manner to operate and control the heavy-duty transport vehicle.
However, in terms of the present invention “driverless” is to be understood to be “unmanned” or “fully automatic”. This does not include faults and emergency interventions. The regular control of a corresponding heavy-duty transport vehicle is effected during normal operation in an automated mode and in this case via automatic means, i.e., programmable devices for automatic position detection and for the generation, transmission and evaluation of the required control signals.
Such driverless heavy-duty transport vehicles are defined e.g. in the VDI (Association of German Engineers) guideline 2510. These vehicles are particularly suitable for larger plants, in which the outlay for the infrastructure additionally required for automation is at least compensated for.
EP 0 302 569 B1 also discloses a heavy-duty transport vehicle for ISO containers which is freely displaceable in a floor-bound manner by means of wheels having pneumatic rubber tyres, and is provided exclusively for a fully automatic and driverless operation. For the purpose of fully automatic control, the heavy-duty transport vehicle includes a navigation system which is disposed in an installation space on the underside of the heavy-duty transport vehicle and is assisted by an additional positioning system. A transceiver unit of the positioning system is disposed on the underside of the installation space.
Corresponding vehicles are also known from DE 10 2007 039 778 A1 which describes a floor-bound transport vehicle (AGV) for the transportation of ISO containers having at least one lifting platform which is disposed on a vehicle frame of the transport vehicle and can be raised from a lowered transport position via a lifting drive to a raised transfer position or lowered in converse fashion. The lifting platform is attached to the vehicle frame via at least one knee lever, the lifting platform can be raised or lowered via the at least one knee lever, the lifting drive acts upon the at least one knee lever and the lifting platform for the lifting and lowering movement is guided on the transport vehicle.
DE 81 03 755 U1 discloses a conventional forklift truck for pallets and small to medium containers which can be operated predominantly without a driver but also manually. For the manual operation which is used merely in exceptional cases, e.g. in an emergency operation, a driver's cab having control devices is provided for an operator. During driverless operation, the driver's cab is positioned and attached in a holding space on the forklift truck and is simultaneously moved in a permanent manner by the moving forklift truck. Only during manual operation is the driver's cab releasably attached to the forks of the forklift truck, in order then to be driven vertically up and down with the forks via a lifting structure.
International patent application WO 2009/019330 A1 discloses a vehicle for transporting ISO containers which has a modular construction. The vehicle can be operated optionally as a conventional, motorised heavy-duty transport vehicle or as a mere trailer. For operation as a motorised heavy-duty transport vehicle, the vehicle is controlled by an operator, for whom a driver's cab can be mounted on the vehicle. Automated operation is not provided for the vehicle.
International patent application WO 2011/023868 A1 also discloses a vehicle, which has a modular construction, for transporting ISO containers. In this case, the vehicle can be equipped in its initial operating state with an automatic control system or with a driver's cab.
US patent application US 2005/131645 A1 relates to an automatically operated transport system, inter alia for freight and containers which additionally comprises optional control devices for steering, accelerating or braking by a driver. The initial operating state of the transport system is designed from the outset for automated operation.